Transferring device



c. F. PFLANZE. TRANSFERRING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 29,1917.

Patented July 6, 1920,

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

c F. PFLANZE. TRANSFERRING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-29.1917.

Patented July 6, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET '2.

lnven bar:

1 I O.F.Pflanzeby 7 c. F. PFL ANZE.

TRANSFERRING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 29. 1917.

Patented July 5, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEETV3.

UNITED STATES CHARLES F. PFLANZE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TRANSFERRING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application filed October 29, 1917. Serial No. 199,006.

To all whom, 2'25 may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES l PFLANZE, a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transferring Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in transferring devices whereby articles such, for example, as envelop blanks are transferred. from one point to another. The specific structure herein shown is particularly Ziiiltlfttitl for use with machines for making envelope, or the like, and it can be used to transfer envelop blanks to a device for folding or creasing the blanks.

Prior to this invention, envelop blanks have been transferred one at a time from a pile of the blanks to creasing andfolding devices, but considerable difiiculty has been experienced .in properly delivering the blanks to such devices. To properly form the envelop flaps, the blank sheet must be accurately alined with the creasing or folding devices. Heretofore, envelop blanks have been arranged in a pile, care being exercised to locate the sheets in perfect alinemont with each other and also in alinement with the creasing or folding device at a point remote from the pile. However, it has been quite diilicult to maintain this alinement while the blank sheets are passing from the pile to the folding or creasing device. The blank sheets are usually transferred from one feet ling device to another, and in effecting this transfer, they are frequently displaced or shifted out of the predetermined aliinement with the other elements of the machine. @ne of the objects of my invention is to transfer articles such, for example, as envelop blanks, from one point to another, or from one feeding device to another, without disarranging them during the transferring operation. In the preferred form of the invention, this is accomplished in a highly satisfactory manner through the medium of a speed changing transferring device whereby envelop blanks are t 'ansferred to a traveling gripper. The transferring device herein shown is so con structed that it primarily feeds the blank at a relatively high speed so that the blank will overtake and enter the traveling grip per, thereafter advancing the blank at a lower speed in synchronism with the speed of the traveling gripper, and while the blank and gripper are moving at the same speed, the gripper is closed to secure the blank. The relatively high speed just referred to is important, for it enables the blank to overtake and enter the traveling gripper. The lower speed is likewise important, for it enables the traveling gripper to close on the blank while the speed of the blank is in synchronism withthe speed of the gripper. By transferring envelop blanks in this manner, they are positively delivered to the traveling gripper, and since the speed of the gripper agrees with the speed of the blank grasped thereby, the transfer is effected without mutilating or in any way disarranging the blank. The importance of these points will be apparent to those familiar with the accuracy required in the manufacture of envelops and the difiicultics involved in transferring envelop blanks from one feeder to another.

The novel features of the structure herein shown are particularly adapted for use with means for folding or creasing envelop blanks, but I do not deem it necessary to show or describe a complete folding or creasing device. The traveling grippers hereinafter described could be used to hold the blanks during the folding or creasing operatiinis, but in so far as the present invention is concerned, the transferring device may be used with any suitable folding or creasing mechanisms, or with other devices which advantageously cooperate with the structure set forth in the claims.

A further object is to provide a simple and efficient means for picking envelop blanks, or the like, from a pile and delivering them one at a time to a feeder.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel con struction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Figure I is a top or plan view, partly in section of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partly 1n section, of the machine shown in Fig. I.

Fig. III is an enlarged fragmentary detail view, showing the speed changing transferring device, and the means for delivering the sheets to said transferring device.

Fig. IV is a view of some of the parts illustrated in Fig. 111, showing them in different positions.

To illustrate the invention, 1 have shown a pile of envelop blanks A, and a pair of traveling grippers B to which the blanks are transferred. The blanks are lifted one at atime from the pile and delivered to a speed changing transferring device, whereby they are transmitted to the traveling grippers. The pile of envelop blanks is supported on a table 1 mounted betwecnguide posts 2 and 3.

The means for lifting the blanks from the pile comprises a pair of suction tubes 41 in the form of hollow arms secured to a rock shaft 5, the extended ends of said hollow arms being adapted to engage marginal portions of the blanks, as shown inFig. TIT. Flexible suction tubes 6 are connected to the arms 1, and air may be drawn through these tubes by any suitable suction device. The arms 1 are oscillated as will be hereinafter described to deliver the sheets to the speed changing transferring device.

Each traveling gripper includes a gripping member 7 (Figs. 1 and H) pivoted to an endless carrier in the form of a sprocket chain 8, and each of said chains is fitted to an idle sprocket wheel 9 and a drive wheel 10, the latter being fixed to a power shaft 11 which may be driven by any suitable mechanism. Each gripping member 7 is provided with an arm 12 IT) and a spring 12-; connecting said arm to the sprocket chain. The spring 13 tends 'to close the gripping member 7. Stationary trucks 1-4: (Figs. l and 11) forming continuations of stationary cams 15, are arranged near the sprocket chains and adapted to be engaged by the rollers 16 at the ends of the arms 12. When the machine is in operation, the sprocket chains and their gripping devices travel continuously in endless paths, and the grippers are opened while their rollers 16 travel along the stationary cams 15.. It will also be observed that the grippers are temporarily retained in their open positions while the rollers 16 travel along the tracks lei, shown in Figs. 1 and 11. When the rollers 16 pass from the tracks 1%, the grippers are closed by the springs 13. Thereafter, the

grippers remain closed until their rollers 16 travel over stationary opening cams 17 whereby the grippers are opened to release the envelop blank. If desired, the traveling grippers can deliver the envelop blanks to a pair of rotary feed rolls 18, and any suit able power mechanism may be used to drive these rolls.

It will now be understood that each traveling gripping device includes a pair of oppositely disposed gripping members 7 (Figs. I and 11) adapted to grip the marginal portion of the envelop blank, and that the gripping device is automatically opened and closed to grip and release the blank.

The speed changing transferring device preferably comprises a pair of rotary feeding members 19 in the'form ofcams fixed to a constantly rotating shaft 20, each of said cams having peripheral sheet engaging faces 21 and 22. Both of these arcuate faces are concentric with the aXis of shaft 20, but the radius of the face 21 is longer than the radius of the face 22. The reason for forming the feeding cams in this manner will be presently pointed out.

The hollow arms 1 connected to the suction tubes 6, are oscillated intermittently to deliver the blanks one at a time to the faces 21 of the feeding cams. 19. This is suggested by Figs. III and IV. The open ends of the hollow arms 1 engage a marginal portion of the uppermost sheet A, as shown by Fig.

H1, and the arms then move upwardly to deliver said sheet to the feeding earns 19, as shown in Fig. IV. The hollow arms 1 finally move to the position shown in Fig. 11, and stationary strippers may be employed to positively release said arms from the envelop blanks. The stationary strip- .pers herein shown (Figs. 1 and TI) consist of a pair of stationary arms 23 fixed to a stationary bar 2 1, and arranged at opposite sides of the feeding cams 19. The extended ends of these stationary arms 23 arelocated adjacent to the open ends of thehollow arms 4, so as to prevent the blanks from fol.- lowing the hollow arms when the latter move to their idle positions, shown in Fig. 11.

Pressure rollers 25 cooperate with the feeding cams 19 in transferring the blanks to the traveling grippers. Each pressure roller 25 can be shifted from the position shown by full lines in Fig. IV to the p0sition shown by dotted lines. When the hollow arms 4: are actuated, to deliver an envelop blank to the rotary feeding cams, the pressure rollers 25 occupy inoperative positions beyond the path of the envelop blank,

as shown by full lines in Figs. III and IV.

the feeding cams 19. By shifting the pressure rollers 25 into the path of the elevated marginal portion of the blank, as herein shown, the blanks can be readily placed in engagement with the feeding cams, and the pressure rollers can be easily shifted to points below the elevated portion of the blank, where they will cooperate most effectively with the feeding cams 19.

Each pressure roller 25 is mounted at one end of a lever 26, the latter being pivoted to an arm 27 and provided with a roller 28 adapted to engage a stationary track 29. Each lever 26 is also yieldingly connected, by means of a spring 30, to one of the arms 27, and when the nuts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 11 the spring 30 retains the roller 28 in engagement with the stationary track 29. W hen the pressure rollers 25 are shifted to the operative positions, shown in Figs. I and II, the small rollers 28 pass from the tracks 29, and the spring 30 then retains the pressure rollers 25 in engagement with the envelop blank.

The levers 26 are pivoted to the upper ends of arms 27, and these arms are secured to a rock shaft 31, provided with an arm 32 (Figs. II and III) having a roller which engages a rotary cam 33. A spring 34 retains this roller in engagement with the cam 33.

The hollow suction arms 4 are fixed to a rock shaft 5 provided with a cam actuated arm 35 (Fig. 11) having a roller 36 engaging a rotary cam 37. 38 designates a spring connected to the arm 35 so as to retain this roller 36 in engagement with the cam 37.

Means for transmitting power to the several cams (Fig. 11) comprises a bevel gear wheel 39 fixed to the power shaft 11 and meshing with a bevel gear wheel 4L0 near the lower end of an inclined shaft 41.. A bevel gear wheel 42 near the upper end of the inclined shaft, shown by dotted lines in Fig. ill, meshes with a similar gear wheel on the shaft 20, and said shaft 20 is provided with suitable sprocket wheels for transmitting power through sprocket chains .l t'and 4.5, to sprocket wheels 46' and- 47 on the shafts 48 and 4:9, respectively, to which the rotary cams 33 and 37 are secured. The power transmission mechanism just described, is shown. more or less diagrammatically, for it will be understood that the power can be transmitted in any suitable manner.

The mechanism is so timed that the envelop blanks will be delivered from the pile of blanks A to the arcuate faces 21 of the feeding cams l9, and the pressure rollers 25 will then cooperate with said arcuate faces 21, as shown in- Fig. H, and also shown by dotted lines in 1V, so as to feed the blanks to. the traveling gripping devices.

Owing to the difference between the radii of the arcuate faces 21 and 22, the cams 19 rotating at a constantly uniform speed, will first feed the blank at a relatively high speed so that the blank will overtake and enter the traveling gripping device, as shown in Fig. ll. Thereafter, the arcuate faces 22 of the feeding cams will engage the blank, and the latter will then travel at a lower speed. In other words, the blank is first fed at a high speed to overtake and enter the open gripping device, and the speed of the blank is then reduced to agree with the speed of the gripping device. lVhile the blank and gripping members are traveling at the same speed, the rollers 16 carried by the gripping members will pass from the tracks 14 (Figs. 1 and II) and each gripping member will then be closed by its spring 13.

In so far as results are concerned, the highest accuracy is obtained, even though the pair of gripping members do not close at the same time. The springs for closing the gripping elements do not have to per-- form their function in any precise period of time, for the envelop blank is gripped while it is traveling in synchronism with the gripping elements. .lf the parts are asse1nbled with reasonable accuracy, the blanks will be positively delivered to the travel ing gripping elements, and they will be maintained in the predetermined alinement' while passing from the rotary speed chang ing transferring device to the traveling grippin elements.

I claim:

1.- In a machine of the character described, a sheet feeding device, and a speed changing transferrin device whereby the sheets are fed to said sheet feeding device at a relatively high speed and then advanced at a lower speed, the speed of said sheet feeding device being in synchronism with the relatively low speed of said speed changing transferring device.

2. In a machine of the character described, a sheet feeding device provided with a traveling sheet holder for securing the sheets, and a speed changing transferring device whereby the sheets are fed at a relatively hi h s )eed so as to overtake said travelin 2w (1 vanced at a lower speed, the speed of said traveling gripper being in synchronism with the relatively low speed of said speed changing transferring device.

i. In a machine of the character described, a sheet feeding device provided with a traveling gripper adapted to secure the sheets, means for opening said traveling gripper, and a speed changing transferring device whereby the sheets are fed at a relatively high speed so as to overtake the open trav eling gripper and then advanced at a lower speed, and means whereby the traveling gripper is closed while the speed changing transferring device is advancing the sheet at the relatively low speed, the speed of said traveling gripper being in synchronism with the relatively low speed of said speed changing transferring device.

5. In a device of the character described, a sheet feeding device comprising an end less carrier provided with a pair of oppositely disposed traveling grippers whereby the sheets are secured to the carrier, means for opening the traveling grippers, and a speed changing transferring device whereby the sheets are fed at a relatively high speed so as to overtake the traveling grippers and then advanced at a lower speed, and means whereby the traveling grippers are closed while the speed changing transferring device is advancing the sheet at the relatively low speed, the speed of said endless carrier and its traveling grippers being in synchronism with the relatively low speed of said speed changing transferring device.

6. In a machine of the character described, a sheet feeding device provided with a traveling gripper adapted to secure the sheets, a cam for temporarily retaining the traveling gripper in its open position, a speed changing transferring device whereby the sheets are fed at a relatively high speed so as to overtake the open traveling gripper and then advanced at a lower speed, and a spring whereby the traveling gripper is closed while the speed changing transferring device is advancing the sheet at the relatively low speed, the speed of said traveling gripper being in synchronism with the relatively low speed of said speed changing transferring device.

7. In a machine of the character described, a succession of sheet feeding devices comprising a primary feeder whereby sheets are lifted one at a time from a pile of alined sheets, a speed changing transferring device to which the sheets are delivered by said primary feeder, and a traveling feeder including an endless carrier provided with a traveling gripping device for securing the sheets, said transferring device in- I .cluding a rotary speed changing feeder whereby each sheet 1s first advanced to said traveling gripping device I at a relatively high speed and then advanced at a lower speed, the speed of said traveling gripping device being in synchronism with the relatively low speed of said speed changing feeder.

8. In a machine of the character described, a sheet feeding device, and a speed changing transferring device whereby the sheets are delivered to said sheet feeding device, said speed changing transferring device including a rotary feeder having peripheral sheet engaging faces, one of which is adapted to advance the sheets more rapidly than the other.

9. In a speed changing transferring device, a rotary feeder having peripheral faces adapted to engage the material to be fed, the radius of one of said peripheral faces being shorter than the radius of the other.

10. In a sheet feeding device, a rotary feed member adapted to engage the sheets, a lifter comprising a movable suction tube whereby the sheets are successively placed in engagement with said rotary feed member, a marginal portion of each sheet being elevated by said lifter, a second rotary feed member comprising a pressure roll cooperable with thefirst mentioned rotary feed member, a lever on which said pres sure roll is rotatably mounted, a shiftable support to which said lever is fulcrumed, means for shifting said support to shift said pressure roll from an inoperative position beyond the path of said marginal portion to an operative position wherein it engages the sheet to be fed, and yielding means cooperable with said lever 'to force said pressure roll into engagement with the sheet.

11. In a sheet feeding device, a rotary feed member adapted to engage the sheets, a lifter comprising a movable suction tube whereby the sheets are successively placed in engagement with said rotary feed member, a marginal portion of each sheet being elevated by said. lifter, a second rotary feed member comprising a pressure roll cooperable with the first mentioned rotary feed member, a lever on which said pressure roll is rotatably' mounted, an arm to which said lever is fulcrumed, means for shifting said arm and lever to shift said pressure roll from an inoperative position beyond the path of said marginal portion to an operative position wherein it engages the sheet to be fed, a spring cooperable with said lever to force said pressure roll into engagement with the sheet, and a stop for limiting movement of said lever when said pressure roll occupies an inoperative position.

12. In a machine for transferring alined sheets, a support for a pile ofthealined sheets, a sheet feeding device comprising an endless carrier provided with a pair of oppositely disposed traveling grippers whereby individual sheets are secured to the carrier, means for retaining said traveling grippers in open positions, a rotary transferring feeder whereby the alined sheets are successively fed to the open grippers, a lifter including a movable suction tube 10 whereby margins of the alined sheets are successively lifted from the pile and delivered to said rotary transferring feeder, the latter having a peripheral feeding surfact moving at the speed of said grippers, and means whereby said grippers are closed While their speed agrees with the speed of said peripheral feeding surface.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto afiix my signature.

CHARLES F. PFLANZE. 

